SAN DIEGO, Calif. – A uniform shortage couldn't stop the Falcons. And neither could Point Loma.
 
Claire Neder headed home the game-winner in the seventh minute of overtime Thursday, lifting the Seattle Pacific women to a 2-1 non-conference victory over the Sea Lions at PLNU Soccer Field.
 
The teams, both NCAA Division II Tournament participants last season, went into overtime knotted at 1-1. SPU's Sierra Smith scored in the 14th minute and Point Loma's Alison Pepper netted the equalizer in the 32nd.
 
Brilliant Backup
The second half was scoreless with reserve goalkeeper Kaylie Nelson preserving the tie for SPU with all three of her saves coming in that period. The sophomore entered the game in the 12th minute, making her Falcons debut after starter Riley Travis was forced to leave with an injury.
 
"She was fantastic. Kaylie is a kid that is always ready to do whatever it is that we ask," exclaimed SPU coach Arby Busey. "Her moment came today and she rose to it and was brilliant.
 
"It's not an easy job to get thrown back there in that kind of a role. There is so much leadership that that role entails and she just stepped right up to the plate and knocked it out of the park. Kaylie made a couple big saves and just the way that she played with composure, and the maturity that she showed was great."
 
Golden Goal
In overtime, Sophia Chilczuk lofted a shot from the left flank that hit the far post and pinballed off PLNU goalkeeper Emma Hinson and back off the post again before floating free to the right of the goal. SPU's Taylor Menkens raced to the ball and flicked a pass with the outside of her foot to Neder for the headed finish from the top of the 6-yard box at 96:23.
 
The junior midfielder accounted for three of the Falcons' four goals this season, including both game-winning strikes. The golden goal was the first of Neder's career.
 
"Sophie hit a decent shot that bounced off the bar and the goalkeeper. Claire was there to finish it up," Busey described. "There were a couple of those type of moments in the first half that we had seen and talked about trying to get in and around, and see if we could stay on our feet.
 
"In the first half we had a couple of those where we ended up on the ground and were squirreling around trying to kick it in from the ground. On that one, Claire kept her feet. She's a tall kid and was able to get up there and nod it in."


 
Seattle Pacific (2-3-0) registered its first road win, ending a 135-minute scoreless drought when Smith scored at 13:17. Ava Giovanola sent a long ball into the Point Loma box that Smith nicked near the penalty spot to redirect it into the goal for her first score of the season and second of her career.
 
Pepper leveled the score, 1-1, at 31:29 with a far-post header off Abbi Swanson's corner kick from the left side. The Sea Lions (2-2-0) had their two-game winning streak snapped.
 
Hinson had two saves for Point Loma, which was outshot by a 12-7 margin.
 
Jersey Jumble
The Falcons' field starters were forced to play all 45 minutes of the first half due to uniform snafu. Only 10 white jerseys were available, with the rest of them inadvertently left home in Seattle. Most SPU players wore different numbers than they usually display.
 
Unlike FIFA rules, which limit teams to three substitutions per game, the NCAA has more liberal policies that don't cap the number of changes and permit player re-entry.
 
Other than defender, field players rarely play an entire half. Busey thinks his Falcons may have enjoyed the unique nature of their permanent position on the field in the opening half.
 
"On some level as a player you are excited about it. You know you get to play the whole time and that's kind of cool that you're not going to get taken out.
 
"At the same time the weather was warmer here. And we were playing against really good opponent that asked us to chase and move and hunt the ball back. The way that our starters saw that half out and kept us in a game at even, allowing us to start the second half with a full bench, was massive for us."
 
Reserves got into the action after halftime when the Falcons field players switched to maroon jerseys, and their traditional numbers, after the alternate uniforms were retrieved from the team's hotel.
 
The SPU women remain in San Diego for a neutral-site game Saturday morning against Cal Poly Pomona. Kick-off is 11 a.m. at PLNU Soccer Field.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, September 19, 2019
PLNU Soccer Field / San Diego, Calif.
 
Seattle Pacific 2, at Point Loma 1 (ot)
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Sierra Smith (Ava Giovanola), 13:17; 2, PLNU, Alison Pepper (Abbi Swanson), 31:29; 3, SPU, Claire Neder, 96:23.
 
                       1   2  OT  --  TOTAL
Seattle Pacific        1   0   1  --    2
Point Loma             1   0   0  --    1
 
Shots – SPU 12, PLNU 7.
Saves – SPU 3 (Riley Travis 0, Kaylie Nelson 3), PLNU 2 (Emma Hinson).
Corner Kicks – SPU 2, PLNU 6.
Fouls – SPU 11, PLNU 13.
Offsides – SPU 4, PLNU 2.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 2-3-0
Point Loma 2-2-0
 
Next SPU Women's Soccer Game
Seattle Pacific vs. Cal Poly Pomona
Saturday, Sept. 21, 11:00 a.m. PDT
PLNU Soccer Field / San Diego, Calif.